Launch of the multifunctional drugs of the future

There is enormous potential in the research now being taken up by the Center for Multifunctional Biomolecular Drug Design (CEMBID) at Aarhus University. The aim is to create a new generation of drugs that can be used to diagnose and treat cancer and atherosclerosis – which together account for two-thirds of the causes of death globally.

The launch was officially announced at the opening ceremony at iNANO today, Monday 19 March, although the research has been underway for some time.

The idea to develop multifunctional drugs using biomolecules that can be assembled as modules and adapted to the individual patient is the result of many years of basic research within several disciplines.

The idea has been backed up with DKK 60 mill. (EUR 8 mill.) from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Challenge Programme.

“The subject has enormous potential to harness the power of biology to rethink and develop scientific and engineering solutions for a wide range of problems and challenges,” says Jens Peter Holst Lauritsen of the Novo Nordisk Foundation when explaining why the foundation has decided to support CEMBID.

Dean of Science and Technology at Aarhus University Niels Christian Nielsen stresses that nanomedicine is a strategic focus at iNANO, and he expects that CEMBID will greatly expand these activities in the years to come.

“Although their ambitions are challenging, I know our three researchers in the centre's management very well, and, together with their talented colleagues in Brussels, I’m sure that they will meet their ambitious objectives,” says Niels Christian Nielsen.

CEMBID is headed by Professor Kurt V. Gothelf, whose field is organic chemistry, bioconjugation and DNA nanotechnology; Professor Jørgen Kjems, with expertise in nucleic acid, nanotechnology and drug delivery; and Associate Professor Ken Howard, with expertise in drug delivery and pharmacokinetics . Professor Tony LaHoutte of Vrije Universiteit is participating from Brussels, with his extensive experience in clinical studies of bioconjugates.